Defense Robert Gates is extremely frustrated with
orders that the White House is contemplating. According to sources at
the Pentagon, including all branches of the armed forces, the Obama
Administration may break with a centuries-old tradition.

A spokesman for General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that the Obama Administration wants to
have soldiers and officers pledge a loyalty oath directly to the office
of the President, and no longer to the Constitution.

"The oath to the Constitution is as old as the document itself." the
spokesman said, "At no time in American history, not even in the Civil
War, did the oath change or the subject of the oath differ. It has
always been to the Constitution."

The back-and-forth between the White House and the Defense Department
was expected as President George W. Bush left office. President Obama
has already signed orders to close Guantanamo and to pull combat troops
from Iraq. But, this, say many at the Defense Department, goes to far.

"Technically, we can't talk about it before it becomes official
policy." the spokesman continued. "However, the Defense Department,
including the Secretary, will not take this laying down. Expect a fight
from the bureaucracy and the brass."

Sources at the White House had a different point of view. In a circular
distributed by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the rationale
for the change was made more clear. "The
President feels that the military has been too indoctrinated by the old
harbingers of hate: nationalism, racism, and classism. By removing an
oath to the American society, the soldiers are less likely to commit
atrocities like those at Abu Ghraib."

"We expect a lot of flak over this," ! the clas sified memo continues.
"But those that would be most against it are those looking either for
attention or control."

The
time frame for the changes are unknown. However, it is more likely that
the changes will be made around the July 4th holiday, in order to
dampen any potential backlash. The difference in the oath will actually
only be slight. The main differences will be the new phrasing. It is
expected that the oath to the Constitution will be entirely phased out
within two years.

My email back to the news exec was that, while I thought it completely false and satirical (all pledges from Demi Moore to President Obama aside), I would look into it. Using a few of the B5 authors' contacts, we have been able to receive verbal confirmation from sources that this is completely FALSE. We will post official responses from General Cartwright's office if/when we receive them.

There you have it.

Blackfive.net defends the Obama Administration from slander. Next up, pigs in flight over the ice flows in the gulf of Mexico.

~Blackfive

Update: For the curious, the "news story" has been popping up at other blogs and email, not just the one linked. We wanted to keep it from going viral.

I apologize for any parietal heart attacks or strokes this may have caused.

We fight for each other. We defend the Constitution. We swear fealty to no man, but to an ideal. That all men are free. Freedom is worth fighting for. Freedom is worth dying for. Swearing an oath to a man is not freedom, but the exact opposite.

Perhaps that is why this story got legs (from a civilian perspective) in the first place. Some part of civilian America is not understanding their own military.

Quite frankly, if this would happen, it would nullify all enlistment contracts, there would be a mass exodus, and most likely, there would be revolt with Chuck Z in the lead tank heading down Pennsylvania Avenue...after all, the military men and women study our history and our enemies more than our civilians do (of course). It's been pointed out that swearing an oath to the country's leader is something from the Hitler play book. No, it's not. Certainly, Hitler used the tactic, but so did every tyrant the world has seen. And it's been used by every tyrant that the United States of America has put down - the latest being Saddam. There will be others.

Therefore, this is why the story got legs (from a military perspective) because everyone higher up in the military that we talk to about this is in utter disbelief that the rest of America would even consider it possible. They are incredulous. Which is why it is taking us some time to get an official response.

Defense Robert Gates is extremely frustrated with
orders that the White House is contemplating. According to sources at
the Pentagon, including all branches of the armed forces, the Obama
Administration may break with a centuries-old tradition.

A spokesman for General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that the Obama Administration wants to
have soldiers and officers pledge a loyalty oath directly to the office
of the President, and no longer to the Constitution.

"The oath to the Constitution is as old as the document itself." the
spokesman said, "At no time in American history, not even in the Civil
War, did the oath change or the subject of the oath differ. It has
always been to the Constitution."

The back-and-forth between the White House and the Defense Department
was expected as President George W. Bush left office. President Obama
has already signed orders to close Guantanamo and to pull combat troops
from Iraq. But, this, say many at the Defense Department, goes to far.

"Technically, we can't talk about it before it becomes official
policy." the spokesman continued. "However, the Defense Department,
including the Secretary, will not take this laying down. Expect a fight
from the bureaucracy and the brass."

Sources at the White House had a different point of view. In a circular
distributed by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the rationale
for the change was made more clear. "The
President feels that the military has been too indoctrinated by the old
harbingers of hate: nationalism, racism, and classism. By removing an
oath to the American society, the soldiers are less likely to commit
atrocities like those at Abu Ghraib."

"We expect a lot of flak over this," ! the clas sified memo continues.
"But those that would be most against it are those looking either for
attention or control."

The
time frame for the changes are unknown. However, it is more likely that
the changes will be made around the July 4th holiday, in order to
dampen any potential backlash. The difference in the oath will actually
only be slight. The main differences will be the new phrasing. It is
expected that the oath to the Constitution will be entirely phased out
within two years.

My email back to the news exec was that, while I thought it completely false and satirical (all pledges from Demi Moore to President Obama aside), I would look into it. Using a few of the B5 authors' contacts, we have been able to receive verbal confirmation from sources that this is completely FALSE. We will post official responses from General Cartwright's office if/when we receive them.

There you have it.

Blackfive.net defends the Obama Administration from slander. Next up, pigs in flight over the ice flows in the gulf of Mexico.

~Blackfive

Update: For the curious, the "news story" has been popping up at other blogs and email, not just the one linked. We wanted to keep it from going viral.

I apologize for any parietal heart attacks or strokes this may have caused.

We fight for each other. We defend the Constitution. We swear fealty to no man, but to an ideal. That all men are free. Freedom is worth fighting for. Freedom is worth dying for. Swearing an oath to a man is not freedom, but the exact opposite.

Perhaps that is why this story got legs (from a civilian perspective) in the first place. Some part of civilian America is not understanding their own military.

Quite frankly, if this would happen, it would nullify all enlistment contracts, there would be a mass exodus, and most likely, there would be revolt with Chuck Z in the lead tank heading down Pennsylvania Avenue...after all, the military men and women study our history and our enemies more than our civilians do (of course). It's been pointed out that swearing an oath to the country's leader is something from the Hitler play book. No, it's not. Certainly, Hitler used the tactic, but so did every tyrant the world has seen. And it's been used by every tyrant that the United States of America has put down - the latest being Saddam. There will be others.

Therefore, this is why the story got legs (from a military perspective) because everyone higher up in the military that we talk to about this is in utter disbelief that the rest of America would even consider it possible. They are incredulous. Which is why it is taking us some time to get an official response.

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The Authors

Former Paratrooper and Army Officer, "Blackfive" started this blog upon learning of the valorous sacrifice of a friend that was not reported by the journalist whose life he saved. Email: blackfive AT gmail DOT com

Instapinch
Bill Paisley, otherwise known as Pinch, is a 22 year (ongoing) active and
reserve naval aviator. He blogs over at www.instapinch.com on a veritable
cornucopia of various and sundry items and will bring a tactical naval
aviator's perspective to Blackfive. Readers be warned: any comments of or
about the F-14 Tomcat will be reverential and spoken in low, hushed tones.
Email: wpaisley AT comcast DOT net

Mr. Wolf has over 26 years in the Army, Army NG, and USAR. He’s Airborne with 5 years as an NCO, before becoming an officer. Mr. Wolf has had 4 company commands. Signal Corp is his basic branch, and Public Affairs is his functional area. He recently served 22 straight months in Kuwait and Iraq, in Intel, PA, and senior staff of MNF-I. Mr. Wolf is now an IT executive. He is currently working on a book on media and the Iraq war. Functional gearhead.

In Iraq, he received the moniker of Mr. Wolf after the Harvey Kietel character in Pulp Fiction, when "challenges" arose, they called on Mr. Wolf...
Email: TheDOTMrDOTWolfAT gmail DOT com

Deebow is a Staff Sergeant and a Military Police Squad Leader in the Army National Guard. In a previous life, he served in the US Navy. He has over 19 years of experience in both the Maritime and Land Warfare; including deployments to Southwest Asia, Thailand, the South Pacific, South America and Egypt. He has served as a Military Police Team Leader and Protective Services Team Leader and he has served on assignments with the US State Department, US Air Force Security Police, US Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. He recently spent time in Afghanistan working with, training and fighting alongside Afghan Soldiers and is now focused on putting his 4 year Political Science degree to work by writing about foreign policy, military security policy and politics.

McQ has 28 years active and reserve service. Retired. Infantry officer. Airborne and Ranger. Consider my 3 years with the 82nd as the most fun I ever had with my clothes on. Interests include military issues and policy and veteran's affairs.
Email: mcq51 -at - bellsouth -dot- net

Tantor is a former USAF navigator/weapon system officer (WSO) in F-4E Phantoms who served in the US, Asia, and Europe. He is now a curmudgeonly computer geek in Washington, DC, picking the taxpayers pocket. His avocations are current events, aviation, history, and conservative politics.

Twenty-three years of Active and Reserve service in the US Army in SF (18B), Infantry and SOF Signal jobs with operational deployments to Bosnia and Africa. Since retiring he's worked as Senior Defense Analyst on SOF and Irregular Warfare projects and currently ensconced in the emerging world of Cyberspace.

The Authors Emeritus

Major Pain --
A Marine who began his blog in Iraq and reflects back on what he learned there and in Afghanistan. To the point opinions, ideas and thoughts on military, political and the media from One Marine’s View.Email: onemarinesview AT yahoo DOT com

Uber Pig was an Infantryman from late 1991 until early 1996, serving with Second Ranger Battalion, I Corps, and then 25th Infantry Division. At the time, the Army discriminated against enlisted soldiers who wanted use the "Green to Gold" program to become officers, so he left to attend Stanford University. There, he became expert in detecting, avoiding, and surviving L-shaped ambushes, before dropping out to be as entrepreneurial as he could be. He is now the founder of a software startup serving the insurance and construction industries, and splits time between Lake Tahoe, Boonville, and San Francisco, CA.

Uber Pig writes for Blackfive a) because he's the proud brother of an enlisted Civil Affairs Reservist who currently serves in Iraq, b) because he looks unkindly on people who make it harder for the military in general, and for his brother in particular, to succeed at their missions and come home in victory, and c) because the Blackfive readers and commenters help keep him sane.

COB6 spent 24 years in the active duty Army that included 5 combat tours with service in the 1st Ranger Battalion and 1st Special Forces Group . COB6 was enlisted (E-7) and took the OCS route to a commission. COB6 retired a few years back as a field grade Infantry officer.
Currently COB6 has a son in the 82nd Airborne that just returned from his third tour and has a newly commissioned daughter in the 4th Infantry Division.